The Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll had Waterville-Elysian-Morristown rated #1 in Class A and Kenyon-Wanamingo #5 in Class AA and the two had an early season showdown in the Castle Thursday night.  Before the match both Head Coaches told POWER 96 limiting errors would be one of the Milo Peterson Ford keys to victory.  Indeed it was a match of errors with the Bucs coming out on top 3-2.

Scores were 25-20 W-E-M, 25-20 K-W, 25-19 W-E-M, 25-23 K-W and 15-11 W-E-M.  Our Baker and Axelson CPA unofficial statistics had 13 service errors for the Knights and 14 for the Buccaneers.  Waterville-Elyisan-Morristown tallied 11 aces while Kenyon-Wanamingo had 6.  5'10 junior middle hitter Delaney Donahue collected 19 kills and 25 digs to pace the Bucs.

Kenyon-Wanamingo junior Ally Peterson had 25 kills and 10 digs to top their statistical sheet.  The first set the Knights were plagued with numerous mistakes.  Service errors, hitting errors, setting errors, you name it.  Waterville-Elysian-Morristown did not make many mistakes in that first set  but in the fourth set they had 6 service errors.

5'5 senior Maelea Harmon makes up for her lack of size by making intelligent plays and in particular she made several in the first set.  Harmon finished the night leading her team in assists with 22, was second in kills with 11 and had a hitting percentage of .333.

6'0 junior middle hitter Trista Hering was the most efficient attacker for W-E-M at .385 with 7 kills.   Simply outlasting Kenyon-Wanamingo on several points proved to be the difference as the Buccaneers had 94 total digs with five players achieving double digit digs.

The Knights had four players with double digit digs and finished with 49 total digs according to their stat sheet.  Waterville-Elysian-Morristown had 55 kills and Kenyon-Wanamingo 44.

The Buccaneers team hitting percentage was .189 .  5'9 senior Alexis Morsching  was the other W-E-M player with double digit kills (10) .

Kenyon-Wanamingo  players with double digit digs include libero senior Kassandra Keller (10), junior setter Madi Luebke (10),  senior back row specialist Kaitlyn Vold (10) and Peterson.

Kenyon-Wanamingo hosts Cannon Falls next Thursday on KDHL Radio and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown opens Gopher Conference play Thursday on POWER 96 against Faribault Bethlehem Academy.

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown in Kenyon-Wanamingo Castle. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Waterville-Elysian-Morristown in Kenyon-Wanamingo Castle. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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